


Better Left Up on a Shelf

by gusryder



Series: Like Stolen Pearls [4]
Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: 2017-2018 NHL Season, M/M, Stupid hockey boys, mentions of Connor/OFC, shirtless leon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-29
Updated: 2017-12-29
Packaged: 2019-02-23 17:43:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13195266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gusryder/pseuds/gusryder
Summary: Leon needs cheering up but he's not wearing a shirt and Connor cannot deal.





	Better Left Up on a Shelf

**Author's Note:**

> Set post Flames vs Oilers (Dec 2, 2017) where we kicked major ass in the first two periods and then totally fell apart in the third. The Oil still won 7-5 but only because they built a huge lead early on. Leon had a breakaway and didn't score.
> 
> I have had a bunch of parts of this series written for a while now but couldn't finish the ones I needed to in order to post the next in the series so I deleted the interfering chapter and problem solved!
> 
> Unbetaed so all mistakes are mine!
> 
> Title from Savage Garden's "Animal Song".

They have a few hours on the bus and Connor isn’t surprised when Leon slides into the seat next to him and pulls out his iPad. He looks worn and drawn but Connor gets it, the last twenty minutes of that game felt like sixty and he feels lethargy creeping in as soon as he sits down.

Leon leans forward, elbows on his knees, and pulls up the game tape. Connor slides closer and after a moment’s debate, lets himself lean against Leon, chin hooking on his shoulder. Leon tenses briefly before relaxing and pressing play.

Connor soon wishes he went to sleep and looked at tape later. They have more than enough days off until the next game to review but Leon is warm against his front and his voice rumbles pleasantly through Connor.

Leon twitches and turns to Connor, hand coming up to Connor’s face, “your beard is tickling me,” he says as he trails his fingers down Connor’s jaw, “what are you even doing here?” His voice is light and teasing but Connor’s eyes flutter shut at the feel of Leon’s hand on him. When Connor opens his eyes, he’s aware of how close they are, of how easy it would be to close the gap between them. Connor sees Leon’s expression change in the flickering glow of streetlights and passing cars and he can’t bring himself to speak, caught in the intimacy of the moment. They stare at each other, Leon’s expression almost thoughtful, until someone coughs and Leon’s hand drops guiltily from Connor’s face.

Connor can feel his cheeks flame,“maybe I’ll sleep after all.” Connor deliberately does not look at Leon as he pillows his jacket against the window and rests his head on it. He’s careful to stretch his legs out so they don’t touch Leon and he closes his eyes and drifts off.

Connor eases into consciousness just outside of Edmonton, awoken by the change in speed of the bus. He blinks and looks over at Leon and frowns. Leon’s still hunched over his iPad and Connor sees him slide his finger over the screen to replay the same play again. Connor stirs and Leon shuts his iPad cover with a snap and glances over at Connor guiltily.

Connor doesn’t say anything but it bothers him that Leon is down over his lack of production and is trying to hide it. Connor would have expected to hear about it from Leon directly but Leon didn’t look frustrated or angry, just sad and lonely. And Connor is right here.

He stops at a liquor store, picks up Leon’s favorite craft beer du jour, and is knocking at Leon’s door within twenty minutes.

Leon must have been getting changed because he comes to the door barefoot in sleep pants, a t-shirt in his hand.

“Hey, did I forget something?” Leon asks, mildly surprised.

Connor shakes his head and holds up the beer, “I brought beer,” he says, as though that would explain everything.

Leon’s face scrunches up like he wants to say something but then seems to decide against it and steps back to let Connor in before heading to the kitchen.

Connor follows him and determinedly does not stare at the smooth line of Leon’s back.

Leon opens his bottle, grabbing another and opening it before handing it to Connor. They clink bottles and Leon takes a swig, Connor watching Leon’s throat work as he swallows. Suddenly his body is too hot and Connor grips his bottle tightly. Leon’s pants hang threateningly low on his hips and Connor can’t decide if he desperately wants Leon to put his shirt on or take his pants off.

Leon holds up his bottle and smiles at Connor, “you have good taste,” and Connor hysterically thinks he really does have good taste and what is happening? The air feels charged with sex and Leon needs to put on his shirt. Leon’s not looking at him like that though. And why would he? They have never touched in a more than bros way at home. Come to think of it, they have also never hung out alone at home. Is this why?

Connor tries to get a grip and smiles at Leon as he brings the bottle to his lip. He’s sure it’s his awkward media smile and he sees Leon’s eyes narrow slightly so he takes a drink of his, frankly overrated, beer to stave off conversation. He makes the mistake of catching Leon’s stare he lowers his bottle and he’s overwhelmed with want. Leon’s eyes are dark in the shadows of the condo and his skin gleams under the stark kitchen light. And _god_ , there’s so much skin.

“Can I kiss you?” Connor blurts out, his voice sounding far away and if Leon didn’t recoil and suck in a breath in response, he would have wondered if he had even spoken.

There’s a long silence and Connor is sure that Leon can hear his heart pounding as he stares at Connor.

“This….is why you came over?” Leon says slowly looking down at his beer and then back at Connor.

Connor flushes. He knows seduction isn’t exactly his forte but he would like to think if he was planning something it would have been better than a case of beer.

“You aren’t wearing a shirt!” Connor protests as if that would explain everything and then cringes. He takes a deep breath and ignores the glimmer of amusement in Leon’s eyes.

“I just-you looked like you needed some company tonight,” Connor mumbles. The guys are right, he really does have no game.

Leon quirks an eyebrow, “some ‘company’,” he drawls, the word dripping with innuendo.

Connor flushes even more but Leon’s lips are turned up in a soft smirk and so he forges on.

“You’re the best winger I’ve ever had,” Connor rushes out and Leon frowns at the nonsequitur. “I saw you watching your breakaway on the bus,” he tries to explain. “It’ll come-you’re amazing on your backhand and the guys know it,” Connor isn’t much for dolling out praise and he tries not to sound insincere but Leon has to know what he looks like on the ice. How he plays.

Leon’s expression shutters, “I’m confused. Is this just a pity thing? You’re trying to make me feel better…because I’m not scoring?”

“NO! I mean, not pity. You make it sound bad but yeah, I guess I came over to help…?” Connor finishes weakly and rubs at the label on his bottle. He saw Leon on the bus and was overcome with the urge to make things better, to comfort Leon and be there for him, in ways that he can’t as a simple teammate.

“You can’t…do that. You can’t just come here and give me what you think I want. It doesn’t work like that. It’s not fair to you and it’s not fair to me.” Leon sounds pained.

“That’s not why I came. It’s just- I want it too.” Connor sounds pleading and he feels the conversation spinning out of control.

“No, you want me to feel better. And I appreciate your misguided attempt but I think you need to sort some shit out first.” Leon crosses his arms. “You can’t just come in here and offer yourself to make me feel better. This isn’t hockey. This isn’t something that you can walk away from tomorrow like a bad game.”

“Leon…” Connor tries to get in.

“What about Lauren? At what point would you have realized that you being here is wrong? And then what? You don’t talk to me for a while?” _Like last time_ , goes unspoken and Leon’s face is dark with some unknown emotion.

“Let me deal with my game, and if you want to help, we can work on some shooting drills after practice or something, okay? You can’t fix hockey with this. It’s kind of an asshole thing to do.” Leon looks defeated but firm.

Nothing about this evening has gone right, from their shitty third period to this and instead of being a good friend, he has messed things up, all because he can’t keep his stupid feelings under control.

Except he could swear that Leon had wanted him too. Had wanted this.

Connor lets himself out and leaves Leon standing in the kitchen staring after him.


End file.
